In a thrilling Durand Cup 2024 final against Mohun Bagan, NorthEast United fought extreme odds to emerge victorious. The victory isn’t just for the players, the coach and the support staff who worked hard for years, enabling the team to lift its first major trophy, but also for its owner, John Abraham. The actor bought NorthEast United for the first time in 2013, putting his own money to become the sole owner. While most of the other franchises were bought by corporates, John let his passion do the talking, and it took 11 years for him to reap the desired rewards.

Though NorthEast United are yet to win the Indian Super League, the country’s premier football competition, the Durand Cup win against giants Mohun Bagan, is truly a moment to be cherished.

As football fans in India celebrate NorthEast United’s success, an old interview of the actor John Abraham has surfaced were he spoke about suffering losses each year because of his ownership of NorthEast United.

”Every year, I suffer big losses (by investing in NUFC). I am an individual owner. The rest of the teams are owned by multi-billion dollar corporates. It becomes difficult for me to compete with them. I want to represent my team NorthEast United with a lot of pride. I cry when they lose but I love them. I have created it from scratch. I hope someone else takes it forward and does bigger things. I hope I get government backing,” John could be heard saying in the video.

John

JOHN ABRAHAM PRIDE OF FOOTBALL #NeufcChampionDurandCup pic.twitter.com/KgPiVwMhBZ

— John Abraham Universe (@TheJafcians_) September 2, 2024

But, the actor finally had a moment of fulfilment as NorthEast United defeated Mohun Bagan 4-3 in the Duran Cup final.

“The feeling of winning the Durand Cup has not yet sunk in. This is just a lesson for all to never give up, to hold on to the team and support the team, not just in winning times but even when we are losing,” John said after the game.

“There’s light at the end of the tunnel and we proved it! Congratulations to the entire team and the staff… I am just a representation standing here talking on their behalf. The real heroes are the staff, the coach, players, and everyone involved in making this team,” he said before adding, “Big congratulations to the team for making this happen. Also, to those fans, who stood by us and supported us through thick and thin… Thank you so much!”

NorthEast United FC completed a brilliant comeback victory after being two goals down to overcome defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant on penalties and clinch the 133rd Durand Cup in a thrilling final which was played here at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. This is the Highlanders maiden Durand Cup title and their first ever silverware in Indian football. The defending champions had taken a 2-0 lead in the first half through Jason Cummings and Sahal Abdul Samad. Alaaeddine Ajaraie and Guillermo Fernandez equalised in the second half and NorthEast goalkeeper Gurmeet Singh turned the hero, denying two spot kicks to ensure that his side complete a thrilling victory.

Juan Pedro Benali made a tactical decision leaving both Spanish attacking players Guillermo Fernandez and Nestor Albiach on the bench and starting Alaaeddine Ajaraie, Jithin M.S and Thoi Singh in attack with the Moroccan midfield duo of Mohammed Ali Bemammer and Hamza Regragui along with Mayakkannan Muthu shielding the defence led by Michel Zabaco. On the other end, Jose Molina started Jason Cummings and Greg Stewart along with Sahal Abdul Samad in attack with Liston Colaco and Manvir Singh providing the width in the pitch. Subhasish Bose returned to the starting eleven and slotted in a back three in defence along with Thomas Aldred and Alberto Rodriguez.

The nerves of a final were seen in the initial minutes as both teams looked cagey from the first whistle but it was the Kolkata side which settled into the game quicker. Sahal Abdul Samad was pulled down by Asheer Akhtar inside the box and the referee had an easy decision to point to the spot. Jason Cummings calmly slotted the resultant penalty in the goal past Gurmeet Singh by Jason Cummings to give the Mariners the crucial lead in the finals. .

The first half definitely belonged to the home side and they cemented it by doubling their advantage, deep into injury time. Liston Colaco found space in the left wing and surged inside the box past Dinesh Singh. The winger poked the ball into the path of Sahal who was free inside the box and the midfielder expertly scored past the diving Gurmeet Singh as the Mariners went into the break with a 2-0 lead.

NorthEast United levelled the scores in the blink of an eye with Ajaraie and Guillermo scoring in the space of three minutes to stun the Kolkata crowd. Jithin M.S setup Ajaraie on the edge of the box and the Moroccan slotted the ball into the right corner of the goal for the first goal. Minutes later, Ajaraie found Guillermo on the far post and the Spanish forward connected first time to leave Vishal Kaith rooted on the spot as the ball flew past him and stung the net for his fifth goal of the tournament and to level the score for the Highlanders.

The Highlanders continued to dominate the match from there on and pushed for the lead, leaving the Mohun Bagan defence and midfield clueless. Macarton Louis and Jithin M.S stung the palms of Vishal Kaith with their thunderous efforts as NorthEast kept the Mariners on the back foot during this dominant phase of play.

NorthEast continued to dominate proceedings as Mohun Bagan were looking the shadow of their first half performance. The Highlanders pushed for the decisive winning goal and created a couple of clear chances but could not take advantage of them. Dimi Petratos’s left footed effort which went inches wide of the goal was the only meaningful attempt that Mohun Bagan created in the second half as the finals went into penalties.

Gurmeet Singh saved the spot kicks of Liston Colaco and Subhasish Bose while Vishal Kaith could not produce his heroics from the last rounds as all four penalty takers, Guillermo Fernandez, Michel Zabaco, Parthib Gogoi and Alaaeddine Ajaraie converted their respective penalties. Only Jason Cummings, Manvir Singh and Dimitri Petratos could convert their penalties for Mohun Bagan.

Mohun Bagan vs NorthEast United FC Live Streaming, Durand Cup 2024 Live Telecast: Where To Watch© Twitter

Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant will face an in-form NorthEast United FC in the finals of the 133rd UAE to host major global events in September which will be played on Saturday at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. The defending champions were stretched in both their knockout matches by Punjab FC and Bengaluru FC, winning on penalties and will have their task cut out against a NorthEast side who have been clinical throughout the tournament. They got the better of Indian Army 2-0 and Shillong Lajong 3-0 in the quarterfinals and semi-finals respectively.

Mohun Bagan will have the backing of their loyal supporters and head coach Jose Molina talked about the home advantage for his team in tomorrow’s match.

“I think it’s really good to have home support but in the pitch it will be eleven players taking on eleven players. So it’s never an advantage to play in front of the home crowd. There will be pressure as the home side but the players are experienced enough to handle that,” Mohun Bagan star forward, Greg Stewart said.

“I feel a bit pressured to play in front of the home crowd. Because it is a do and die match. It’s going to be a tough match tomorrow against a very good NorthEast side,” Jose Molina was quoted in a release from Durand Cup as saying.

On the other hand, NorthEast Head Coach Juan Pedro Benali sounded excited to play in front of the Kolkata crowd, “It’s fantastic to play in front of such an amazing crowd in Kolkata. There is nothing to lose for us. We have played good football and have come here to give our best in front of such an amazing crowd, fantastic city and amazing people.”

Vishal Kaith has been in terrific form between the posts for the Mariners and will be once again key for them along with the star-studded attack line of Dimitri Petratos, Greg Stewart, Jason Cummings, Liston Colaco, Sahal Abdul Samad and Manvir Singh.

NorthEast United’s defence led by their captain Michel Zabaco and Moroccan Hamza Regragui have let in just a solitary goal in the whole tournament.

Mohun Bagan have let in five goals in the two knockout matches and will look to rectify their mistakes against the solid attack line that consists of Jithin M.S, Nestor Albiach and Guillermo Fernandez who are constantly supplied balls from the midfield by the mercurial Moroccan, Mohammed Ali Bemammer. “NorthEast is a very good team. We have seen that throughout the tournament. They have good wingers. But we have full confidence in our boys and we will give our best in the pitch tomorrow”, commented Jose Molina about the opposition.

“We are here to give our one hundred percent and win the trophy, said NorthEast United Captain Michel Zabaco. They have are a very good team and have solid individual players but we will be playing to our game plan and come away with a win.” the Spanish defender added.

The finals promise to be an enthralling contest and at the end of 90 minutes or even penalties, one team will either be winning a record-breaking 18th Durand Cup title or the other team will be winning their first ever Durand Cup and according to the Highlanders Head Coach Juan Pedro Benali, “We have our weapons and they have theirs and it is going to be a terrific game and at the end of the match we will be congratulating the best team.”

NorthEast United FC players celebrate after scoring against Shillong Lajong.© Twitter

Second-half goals from Nestor Albiach and Guillermo Fernandez ensured NorthEast United booked their place in the semi-finals of the Durand Cup 2024, overcoming a valiant Indian Army FT in the first quarter-final, here at the SAI Stadium in Kokrajhar on Wednesday. They will take on Shillong Lajong FC in the semi-finals after the I-League side recorded a win against East Bengal FC in the other knockout game played in the day.

Juan Pedro Benali fielded his side with Nestor Albiach and Guillermo Fernandez starting up front and Jithin M.S. and Ankith Padmanabhan starting on the wings. A change was also made in goal, as Gurmeet Singh started. Indian Army FT Head Coach Manish Wahi named a starting eleven packed with midfielders and Liton Shil as the lone striker.

NEUFC showed great intent from the first whistle to unsettle the Indian Army defence. The trio of Albiach, Fernandez and Jithin MS dominated proceedings in the initial exchanges with multiple attacks on the Army goal. Army goalkeeper Bhabindara Malla Thakuri made two reflex saves to deny Jithin and Fernandez and keep the scores level. The Army men absorbed the pressure and slowly made their presence in the match by controlling the midfield. They crowded the midfield and did not allow any space for the Highlanders midfield to find the forwards and on the other end, used the wings to good effect stretching the play.

The Indian Army FT looked particularly threatening in set pieces as Gurmeet Singh saved Pardeep Singh’s header. The Army Men dominated the rest of the half asking questions of the Highlanders’ defence. The Army men ended the half with a flourish as B. Sunil forced a fine save from Gurmeet Singh. Both coaches brought in changes for the second half and both sides started on fifth gear creating chances on both ends. Substitute Christopher Kamei’s effort skimmed the crossbar and at the other end, NorthEast substitute Thoi Singh’s effort was blocked by B. Sunil. The Highlanders finally broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute through a simple move.

Guillermo headed down a long ball from left-back Samte which was finished on the volley by Nestor Albiach. The Spaniard’s left footer found the bottom corner beyond the outstretched hands of the goalkeeper. NorthEast United FC could have doubled the lead minutes later but Guillermo’s headed effort was cleared off the line by Pardeep Singh.

The Highlanders doubled their advantage in the 73rd minute through a brilliant ‘scorpion kick’ finish by Guillermo Fernandez. Redeem Tlang‘s cross from the right wing was behind the Spanish forward who improvised with a looping finish above the head of the Army goalkeeper. The Indian Army tried to put pressure on the Highlanders but the defence held their ground to see off the game and book their place in the semi-finals.

Shillong Lajong FC stun East Bengal FC

In a gripping second quarter-final clash at Shillong’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Wednesday, Shillong Lajong FC edged past East Bengal FC with a 2-1 victory. Figo Syndai’s decisive winning goal came shortly after Nandhakumar Sekar had levelled the score, cancelling out Marcos Rudwere’s initial strike.

The match began with a shock for the Kolkata outfit as Rudwere put Shillong Lajong FC ahead in the eighth minute. Hardy Nongbri’s perfectly delivered corner was met by Rudwere, who outmuscled his defender to score. In response, East Bengal FC ramped up their efforts, attacking the Shillong goal persistently. Despite a flurry of chances, they struggled to test the goalkeeper effectively and squandered several opportunities.

East Bengal FC faced a further scare when Rudwere’s header from another set-piece struck the crossbar. Although the Red and Golds continued to press for an equaliser, they went into the break trailing. The second half saw both teams engaging in an end-to-end contest, with each side testing the other’s defensive and goalkeeping strengths. East Bengal FC’s persistence paid off in the 77th minute when substitute Vishnu PV set up Nandhakumar Sekar, who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to equalise.

As East Bengal FC sought a winning goal, their aggressive push created openings for Shillong Lajong FC. The hosts capitalised on this and soon made their way back into the game. In the dying moments, a cross from Rudwere found Figo Syndai, who coolly slotted the ball past Prabhsukhan Gill to restore Shillong Lajong FC’s lead.

Despite East Bengal FC’s efforts to find another equaliser, Shillong Lajong FC held firm in the final minutes, securing their place in the semi-finals with a hard-fought victory.

Defending champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant and their archrivals East Bengal FC, the two finalists from the previous edition, have been drawn together in the same group as the group stage draw for the upcoming Durand Cup 2024 was unveiled on Thursday. The 24 teams from the ISL, I-League, international teams, and teams from the Armed Forces will fight it out in Asia’s oldest football tournament, scheduled to commence on July 27. Notably, international teams will also feature with Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army FC and Bangladesh Army Football Team, both returning from the previous edition.

This year, Jamshedpur and Shillong join Kokrajhar and Kolkata as host cities, with each hosting group stage fixtures. Kolkata, the main venue, will host three groups, while Jamshedpur, Shillong, and Kokrajhar will each host one group.

The tournament will follow a round-robin league format with knockout stages, culminating in the final at Kolkata’s Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan. In total, 43 matches will be played and the top teams from each group, along with the two best second-placed teams, will advance to the knockout phase.

Here are the groups for Durand Cup 2024:

Group A (Kolkata): Mohun Bagan SG, East Bengal FC, Indian Air Force FT, Downtown Heroes FC

Group B (Kolkata): Bengaluru FC, Inter Kashi FC, Indian Navy FT, Mohammedan SC

Group C (Kolkata): Kerala Blasters FC, Mumbai City FC, Punjab FC, CISF Protectors FT

Group D (Jamshedpur): Jamshedpur FC, Chennaiyin FC, Indian Army FT, Bangladesh Army FT

Group E (Kokrajhar): Odisha FC, NorthEast United FC, Bodoland FC, BSF FT

Group F (Shillong): FC Goa, Hyderabad FC, Shillong Lajong FC, Tribhuvan Army FC

File image of Mohun Bagan players Anirudh Thapa and Jason Cummings.© X (Twitter)